Lion Kills Volunteer Keeper At Big Cat Park

My thoughts go out to this womans family, however i think i have more thoughts for the lion, shot for doing what a lion does....

A lion has killed a volunteer at a big cat sanctuary in California after the worker climbed into the animal's cage.

Dianna Hanson, 26, was attacked inside an enclosure at Cat Haven in Dunlap by an African lion which had been raised at the park since it was a cub.

Another park worker tried unsuccessfully to lure the lion - a four-year-old male named Cous Cous - into a separate pen.

The animal was shot and killed by a sheriff's deputy, California Department of Fish and Wildlife spokesman Lt Tony Spada said.

Paul Hanson, a Seattle-area attorney, identified the victim as his daughter.

"She was very excited," he said. "It was just a dream job for her."

Lion Kills Volunteer Keeper At Big Cat Park

Was this girl not supervised near the lions enclosure?

Why is it policy that you shoot a dangerous animal when it is clearly the stupidity of a human that causes it to act? That's not the work of a conservation organization.

I wish they would just get these animals up to full health, or as near as possible, then let them go into their natural habitat. Whether they live or die should be up to them or mother nature, not because someone who was silly enough to enter a lions enclosure.

What did they expect it to do? Sit there knitting?

CX.

reply to post by CX


You're right. It's not the lions fault. But remember, this wasn't a zoo, where people purchased animals to be viewed for profit, this was a sanctuary dedicated to saving the lives of wild animals.

Now, I'm no expert, but I think that once a lion, tame or not, has tasted human blood, it's in their head as "food" forever.

It's sad that this woman lost her life.

What a sad outcome for both human & Cat. I worked at a facility in CA
years ago. A woman who had been volunteering for years was cleaning
a large cat enclosure & decided she felt sorry for the sick cat & opened
the enclosure & started hand feeding him. It was a very large mountain
lion.
Out of no where the foreman has flailing arms, out of control in panic & screaming
her head is in his mouth, her head is in his mouth. Yes it was, with her facing
us, & canine teeth right on her temples. Luckily 2 other people were there,
no time to think...
I went around behind the cat & grabbed him with both hands behind the scruff
of his neck. Hoping that person would stop screaming & leave. I kept
saying over & over in me thoughts to please just drop her, please just drop her.

Once it was quiet he dropped her & the other 2 people grabber her feet & pulled
her away. Now I'm stuck with an unfriendly cat that could have taken us all out.
Razor sharp claws & teeth. I kept saying in me thoughts just go with me, over &
over. He was 1/2 way out of his enclosure & this was in a large room. I was
very fortunate he went with me as I turned him back into the enclosure & he went
back inside & I closed the gate.
We were all fortunate that everyone was okay. The said person walked away with
a puncture to a forearm that just barely touched the bone.

I still love me Big Cats! I miss them.

Cheers
Ektar
I

Originally posted by windword
reply to post by CX

 

But remember, this wasn't a zoo, where people purchased animals to be viewed for profit, this was a sanctuary dedicated to saving the lives of wild animals.

Then i find it even more confusing why they shot it.

CX.

reply to post by Ektar


Wow.

Kudos to you for your quick thinking, i've been in some hairy situations in the army, but i think that most people would fill their shorts if faced with a lion that's just had someone's head in their mouth.

Respect.

CX.

reply to post by CX

Now, I'm no expert, but I think that once a lion, tame or not, has tasted human blood, it's in their head as "food" forever.

Actress Tippi Hedren, who founded the Shambala Preserve in Southern California, home to 53 seized or abandoned exotic pets, expressed dismay over the killing of the lion.

"It wasn't the lion's fault. It's the human's fault always. I've got 40 years behind me. I know what I'm talking about," Hedren said.

A movie was made at Shambala several years ago and several people were injured. "Two were nearly killed," she said. "Lions are one of the four most dangerous animals in the world.

There is nothing you can do. When they get a thought pattern, there is nothing short of a bullet to the brain that will stop them," Hedren said.

Read more: www.foxnews.com...

Not sure why Hedren is said to express dismay at the killing of the lion, when she also says "there's nothing short of a bullet to the brain that will stop them."

But, it is very sad that that animal, which was an endangered species of lion that no longer exist in the wild, had to be killed because of a well meaning human's overconfidence.

RIP to them both.

reply to post by CX


I read this article yesterday. I think they shot the poor lion because the girl was still alive but injured at the time and they couldn't get to her and the lion wouldn't go into another enclosure. You would think they would keep a tranquilizer gun around for stuff like that. How would they perform veterinary care on the animals without it?

I may be a horrible way to go but, at least that girl died living her dream working with big cats. This should be a lesson to everyone not to get too comfortable with wild animals; their natural instincts can kick in at any moment, no matter how much contact they've had with humans throughout their lives.

reply to post by CX


Yes it was an extremely scary situation that I never expected to be in nor witness.

That Cat was NOT put down & he recovered from his illness. Wild animals are
dangerous to work with as well as some trained animals & exotics. You cannot
let your guard down for 1 second. You do have to be confident but still maintain
the thought of safety in your head at all times. While working with the same
friendly cats several days of the week, every week, & having a close bond, I still
had to remind meself that anything can happen.

I am thankful that I did not panic & could help. Many people have a hard time in
life threatening situations.

Cheers
Ektar

reply to post by FortAnthem

The problem with tranquilizers is the dart takes approximately 5 to 10 minutes
to effect & even longer if the animal has adrenaline rush. The animal will
thrash around during this period as they are not happy & if there is a human
or any other animal near the darted animal they will be further attacked.

So it's a difficult situation. I'm wondering how she gained access to the key
of the enclosure? She should not have been given access without a trained
& experienced assistant.

Cheers
Ektar

First thing popped up in my head is TRANQUILIZER GUN!,, shoot 3-4 into the lion, it would drop in a sec....

Lion is the last thing to blame... i like how Katt Williams said... "the tiger was just being a tiger..."

Someone working in such place doesn't go through SoPs on how to conduct such work? im pretty sure there is countless safety measure to prevent things like this.. this is probably #1 on their SoP.

She probably decided to do short cuts..otherwise it could have been avoided.

It's very hard for me to understand anyone who learns enough about wild cats to decide they want to work with them, and then goes into a situation like this one. I feel very sorry for the cat who was killed. And I feel sorry for the girl who obviously lacked the intelligence to work in a reserve without getting herself killed.

reply to post by chasingbrahman


The smaller holding cage that the Big Cat was placed in while this unfortunate Women was cleaning his / hers larger cage, was not fully latched and the Cat pushed it up with it's paw.

So don't make reckless assumptions until you know all the facts. She is not to blame for her own death.

In fact, if anyone is to blame, it's whoever put the Cat into the smaller cage and left the latch not fully closed.

Or, one can go so far as to say that these places need to have armed snipers protecting these people while they are entering the cage.

Yeah sure, I realize that could be expensive, but in the long run way more cheaper than a wrongful death civil lawsuit. ~$heopleNation

reply to post by SheopleNation


I see no mention in the article of the onus resting upon her co-worker. Perhaps I'm slow this morning, but would you mind providing the link/quote which clarifies that someone other than the victim was responsible? All of the information I'm reading is indicating this was her fault. Many thanks!

reply to post by chasingbrahman


www.bbc.co.uk...

reply to post by Rikku


I appreciate the link, however, I don't see mention of who was responsible for latching the gate closed. Was closing this gate/latch someone else's responsibility? I'm sorry but I'm unfamiliar with exactly how one goes about moving a large cat from a big enclosure to a small enclosure.

Originally posted by chasingbrahman
I see no mention in the article of the onus resting upon her co-worker. Perhaps I'm slow this morning, but would you mind providing the link/quote which clarifies that someone other than the victim was responsible? All of the information I'm reading is indicating this was her fault. Many thanks!

Yeah I noticed they did not mention it here, but they did when dicussing it on Cable. These big Cat's usually have a main handler, and that person is usually the one who put's them into the smaller cage while the other employees clean their kennel. Tragedy, without a doubt. I feel bad for her family, and the Cat too. ~$heopleNation

Yes most Cats & other exotics do have a main handler but quite
often some have more than one. Usually with the Big Cats the handlers
are limited to very few if not 1 to 2 people.

As far as the smaller enclosure goes, the handler does not have
to be the one to move the cat. The smaller enclosure is used for
feeding (not always) & cleaning. From me own experience it has been used for
both since feeding the Cat in there would automatically entice them
in for cleaning. There is usually a slider door...slides up, Cat thinks
he's going to be fed, goes in & the slider is dropped & now safe to clean.

I have not seen the photo of the enclosure between the larger & smaller area
so the set up could be different. However in my experience whether it's a gate
or a slider there has always been external access to open & close either
therefore no one goes in with the cat. I have never seen the "handler"
go around & move all cats or any wild animals into a safety zone for cleaning
or feeding unless it's a problem animal or a delicate one. There are too
many animals for this & it's not necessary.

I'm still not sure how she acquired the bloody key...she was not any where near
the level or training experience to even have access to one.

So lets say she was experienced & etc...then she would be able to open the
slider or gate for the Cat to enter smaller enclosure, close it & go in to clean.

I am not blaming anyone for anything as I still don't know all the details.
I'm just trying to provide some information.

From my above emergency posted above, the victim had been a regular volunteer
for 4 1/2 yrs & she knew better. The foreman told me to unlock that enclosure & I did
however I never removed the lock...I only did what I was told & the woman and
the foreman were lucky that I was right there as the room the cat was in was our
x-ray room & it's attached to the health center where I worked as a Lic Vet Tech.

I was lucky to have the other 2 women from the baby trailer to have happened
to be in the health center at the time. They were the ones that shut up the foreman & grabbed the victims feet & pulled her away once the cat dropped her.

Sorry if I rambled & I hope that made sense.

Cheers
Ektar